June 23, 2025

Gail Aquino

10th Grade

John F. Kennedy High School 

Have you ever seen a painting so meticulous that every brushstroke that swamps the canvas can be distinguished? Notoriously known for being one of the greatest Post-Impressionists, Vincent Willem van Gogh was a Dutch painter who lived from March 30, 1853, to July 29, 1890. Within a decade, he created a staggering 2,000 pieces of art, of which he only sold one. Despite having little success during his lifetime, Vincent van Gogh is now recognized as one of the most influential figures in art history. How did he achieve such success?

Vincent van Gogh’s artistic career began in November 1880, at the age of 27. He first studied under Dutch artist Willem Roelefs in Brussels, Belgium, where he was advised by Roelefs to study at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Although miserable while studying at the academy, he learned the foundations of art there: anatomy, perspective, and basic modeling. 

In April 1881, van Gogh moved to South Holland in the Netherlands, where he frequently visited The Hague to sell his paintings and meet with realist painter Anton Mauve. Mauve introduced him to charcoal, pastels, watercolor, and oil paint. Oil paint was van Gogh’s favored medium, finding the thickness of the pigment and the vibrancy most pleasing. From Drenthe to Nuenen, van Gogh primarily painted his environment, still lifes, and cottages. Influenced by other artists—particularly Peter Paul Rubens—van Gogh set his sights on Belgium, where the majority of Rubens' art was displayed.

In November 1885, in Antwerp, Belgium, van Gogh became enamored with Japanese prints, which inspired him to use darker outlines for minuscule details in his later paintings. Exposed to Impressionism, he developed a brighter color palette and became bolder while painting. Compared to actual art and artists, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts provided little to no inspiration to van Gogh. After numerous clashes with the academy’s authorities, van Gogh decided to leave the academy altogether. Together with his brother Theo, he ventured to Paris, France. 

In 1886, van Gogh moved to Paris, France, where he would befriend many artists involved in the Impressionist movement. They supported and learned from one another, allowing him to freely explore different techniques. He began to frequently draw portraits of friends, still lifes, and the shops scattered in Paris. By this time, his Post-Impressionist style had become second-nature, with his brushwork and use of tone reaching a high level of proficiency. However, city life eventually brought little creativity, so van Gogh would settle in southeastern France, somewhere remote. 

From February 1888 in Arles, France, to May 1890 in Paris, France, van Gogh’s work became distinctive and fresh—a style that differed completely from his beginnings at the academy.  Wishing to capture a raw perspective of nature, his compositions delved into more expressive and dynamic elements. Painting efficiently and prolifically, van Gogh’s final two years were his most productive. Notably, The Starry Night (1889), Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers (1888), and Wheatfield with Crows (1890) were created during this period and remain some of his most iconic works in modern society. 

Vincent van Gogh’s capture of bold colors, expressive brushwork, and fusion of realism and abstraction has continued to inspire generations long after his death. He has influenced painters from a wide range of artistic movements, including Fauvism and Expressionism. Additionally, aspiring artists have become enchanted with van Gogh’s work. But what exactly makes his art so unique? 

Van Gogh painted entirely with emotion. Whether it was a portrait of someone he held dear to a still life of sunflowers hanging in a vase, every feeling he felt from his subject was imprinted into his painting process. Even prior to his Post-Impressionist style, he was able to evoke intense emotion. For instance, The Potato Eaters (1885) conveys a melancholy sentiment through its dark-centered hues and overlapping brushwork. 

Painters during van Gogh’s era painted the objective reality, which—though often charismatic—showed little individuality in a sea of artists with similar interests. Vincent van Gogh’s influence stemmed from his ability to find beauty in the world, discovering solace in the ordinary. He transformed the way people, including non-artists, perceive art. Today’s artistic landscape pushes the boundaries of creativity; however, this freedom would not have been as widely accepted had it not been for artists like Vincent van Gogh. With many of his paintings being displayed in the countries where he once sought purpose—Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and England—Vincent van Gogh has received unwavering admiration from around the world because of his unrelenting dedication to art.